Wisdom and Foolishness Call Out
1Wisdom has built her house.
She has set up its seven pillars.
2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine.
She has also set her table.
3She has sent out her servants.
She calls out from the highest point of the city.
4She says, “Let all who are childish come to my house!”
She speaks to those who have no sense. She says,
5“Come and eat my food.
Drink the wine I have mixed.
6Leave your childish ways and you will live.
Walk in the way of understanding.”
7When you correct someone who makes fun of others, you might be laughed at.
When you warn a sinner, you might get hurt.
8Don’t warn those who make fun of others, or they will hate you.
Warn those who are wise, and they will love you.
9Teach a wise person, and they will become even wiser.
Teach a person who does right, and they will learn even more.
10If you want to become wise, you must begin by respecting the Lord.
To know the Holy One is to gain understanding.
11Through wisdom, you will live a long time.
Years will be added to your life.
12If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you.
If you make fun of others, you alone will suffer.
13The woman called Foolishness is wild.
She is childish and knows nothing.
14She sits at the door of her house.
She sits at the highest point of the city.
15She calls out to those who pass by.
She calls out to those who go straight on their way. She says,
16“Let all who are childish come to my house!”
She speaks to those who have no sense.
17She says, “Stolen water is sweet.
Food eaten in secret tastes good!”
18But they don’t know that dead people are there.
They don’t know that her guests are deep in the place of the dead.
Invitations of Wisdom and Folly
1Wisdom has built her house;
she has set up9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out its seven pillars.
2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3She has sent out her servants, and she calls
from the highest point of the city,
4“Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
5“Come, eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of insight.”
7Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
8Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
9Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11For through wisdom9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
13Folly is an unruly woman;
she is simple and knows nothing.
14She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15calling out to those who pass by,
who go straight on their way,
16“Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
17“Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious!”
18But little do they know that the dead are there,
that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.
